Friday, April 11, 2008

I’m sitting in a café in Woodland, CA marveling at how wonderful it is to wake up to a warm sunny day. Not a hot day, mind you, but warm with a nice breeze, the sun coming through the motel bathroom window and the sound of a lawn mower in the distance. It was one of those moments that reminds you so much of home even if you never really had any moments like that growing up.

The Savory Café in Woodland feels like a trendy modern addition to what one my companions tells me was a pretty run down nothing of a town even just 10 years ago. Ah, gentrification has long tentacles, but is that so bad really? After all, I’m about to eat “Breakfast Dogs”, which are two maple-bacon sausages dipped in pancake batter and served “corn dog style”. Does that not sound amazing?!

Yes it’s a little white trash, but its white trash chic in a way that you can only find in a hip, modern café complete with wifi. Oh, they’ve just arrived… Let me sample quick.

Mmm… so good. Dipped in Maple syrup. It’s exactly what you’re imagining and so much better. It starts out sweet with a savory finish, then you get that double hit of maple from the sausage and the lingering pancake after-taste. I should be filming this for Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern.

In 1789, the governor of Australia granted land and some animals to James Ruse in an experiment to see how long it would take him to support himself. Within 15 months he had become self sufficient. The area is still known as Experiment Farm. This is my Experiment Farm to see how long it will take me to support myself by writing.